The Israeli government has passed a bill obliging the committee that appoints rabbinical judges to reserve four spots for women.

The legislation was approved today at the end of a long Knesset meeting which began on Monday night.

The committee will be expanded to 11 members - until now it has been ten - and will include at least four women, a minister, a Knesset member, a representative of the Bar Association and a rabbinical advocate appointed by the justice minister.

Member of Knesset from Meretz, Zahava Gal-On said: “The new law mends the twisted reality in which men are the only ones deciding on issues that mainly influence the lives of women."

During the meeting several strictly-Orthodox members expressed strong opposition to the proposal.